The annual general meeting (AGM) of the Outlook & District Regional Park held on Tuesday evening, June 9 inside the camp kitchen building highlighted some challenges that the park has been going through, notably due to the COVID pandemic, but also shone a light on where everyone wants to see the park headed as far as prosperity in the future.
A handful of people came out for the meeting, which happened under sunny skies and just hours after Outlook had been showered with a late afternoon rainfall.
It was said that the park is looking to one day get to a balanced budget or even a surplus after having deficits for the last number of years.
Secretary Kaitlyn Gifford noted that there had been 75 cancellations resulting in approximately $12,000 in booking losses due to the COVID pandemic.聽 Things had been looking good in January through to March, but that鈥檚 the point in which the pandemic really hit the province and the park started seeing the cancellations.聽 As it stands, the park, which opened on June 1, can only operate at 50% capacity, and it was said that Outlook may see some 鈥渟pillover鈥� booking from elsewhere around the province.
As well, the park can only accommodate Saskatchewan residents at this time.
Right now, everything was said to be running 鈥渁s it should鈥� and a number of subsidies have been applied for.聽 Organizers are now looking to try and plan some fun things to do in the park while still respecting the guidelines that are in place.
Maury Ziegler of the Riverview Golf Club board noted that the board is very happy with the communication between the course and the park right now, as it seems to be an improved and 鈥渨ell-oiled machine鈥� now.
One of the plans discussed involves removing the concrete and filling in the old swimming pool site in the park, but it鈥檚 a project that needs an official plan drawn up and a way to be funded.
As well, the park wants to issue a needs assessment survey to the public in the future that would ask people what they want for the park; what do they want to see, where should funds be directed?聽 More engagement from the public is said to be needed in order to show that certain plans in the future will have the 鈥渂acking鈥� so to speak of local residents.
Exiting chairperson Troy Simonson noted, 鈥淲e鈥檝e had a lot of cleanup to do; I think the foundation is there to have things move forward.鈥�
Ultimately, the predominant goal is to have the Outlook & District Regional Park become 鈥渁 lot more relevant鈥� to the people of the community, but it was said that people are going to have to pay for it one way or another.聽 They do pay through their taxes, but that鈥檚 a very small amount in the grand scheme of things, it was noted.聽 Going forward, input from the community is going to be vital as it pertains to the future of the park.
